Canon 400D vs 5D Mark II

The Canon EOS 400D (called Canon XTi in some regions) and the Canon EOS 5D Mark II are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively,
in August 2006 and September 2008. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are based on an APS-C (400D) and a full frame (5D Mark II) sensor. The 400D has a resolution of 10.1 megapixels, whereas the 5D Mark II provides 21 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 400D and the
Canon EOS 5D Mark II? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors,
their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison: Canon 400D vs 5D Mark II

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Canon 400D and the Canon 5D Mark II. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size,
the Canon 5D Mark II is considerably larger (62 percent) than the Canon 400D. Moreover, the 5D Mark II is substantially heavier (53 percent) than the 400D. It is noteworthy in this context that the 5D Mark II is splash and dust-proof, while the 400D does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses
that both of these cameras require. A larger imaging sensor (as in the 5D Mark II) will tend to go along with bigger and heavier lenses,
while more compact options are available for the smaller-sensor camera (400D).
You can compare the optics available in the Canon EF Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the 400D gets 370 shots out of its NB-2LH battery,
while the 5D Mark II can take 850 images on a single charge of its LP-E6 power pack.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, just select a new right or left
comparator from among the camera models in the table. Alternatively, you can also move across to the CAM-parator tool and
choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The 400D was launched at a markedly lower price (by 77 percent) than the 5D Mark II, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison: Canon 400D vs 5D Mark II

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon 400D features an APS-C sensor and the Canon 5D Mark II
a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the 5D Mark II is 163 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.6 and 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

With 21MP, the 5D Mark II offers a higher
resolution than the 400D (10.1MP), but the 5D Mark II nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of
6.41μm versus 5.71μm for the 400D) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the 5D Mark II is a much more recent model (by 2 years) than the 400D, and its sensor
will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units.

The Canon EOS 400D has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 1600.
The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS 5D Mark II are ISO 100 to ISO 6400, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-25600.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). Of the two cameras under consideration, the 5D Mark II offers substantially better image quality than the 400D (overall score 17 points higher). The advantage is based on 1.6 bits higher color depth, 0.9 EV in additional dynamic range, and 1.5 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

Camera Model

Sensor Class

Resolution (MP)

Horiz. Pixels

Vert. Pixels

Video Format

DXO Portrait

DXO Landscape

DXO Sports

DXO Overall

Camera Model

Canon 400D»

APS-C

10.1

3888

2592

-

22.1

11.0

664

62

Canon 400D

Canon 5D Mark II«

Full Frame

21.0

5616

3744

1080/30p

23.7

11.9

1815

79

Canon 5D Mark II

Canon 5D Mark IV«»

Full Frame

30.1

6720

4480

4K/30p

24.8

13.6

2995

91

Canon 5D Mark IV

Canon 5DS«»

Full Frame

50.3

8688

5792

1080/30p

24.7

12.4

2381

87

Canon 5DS

Canon 5DS R«»

Full Frame

50.3

8688

5792

1080/30p

24.6

12.4

2308

86

Canon 5DS R

Canon 750D«»

APS-C

24.0

6000

4000

1080/60p

22.7

12.0

919

71

Canon 750D

Canon 760D«»

APS-C

24.0

6000

4000

1080/30p

22.6

12.0

915

70

Canon 760D

Canon 5D Mark III«»

Full Frame

22.1

5760

3840

1080/30p

24.0

11.7

2293

81

Canon 5D Mark III

Canon 650D«»

APS-C

17.9

5184

3456

1080/30p

21.7

11.2

722

62

Canon 650D

Canon 1100D«»

APS-C

12.2

4272

2848

720/30p

21.9

11.0

755

62

Canon 1100D

Canon 550D«»

APS-C

17.9

5184

3456

1080/30p

22.1

11.5

784

66

Canon 550D

Canon 500D«»

APS-C

15.1

4752

3168

1080/20p

21.7

11.5

663

63

Canon 500D

Canon 450D«»

APS-C

12.2

4272

2848

-

21.9

10.8

692

61

Canon 450D

Canon 40D«»

APS-C

10.1

3888

2592

-

22.1

11.3

703

64

Canon 40D

Canon 5D«»

Full Frame

12.7

4368

2912

-

22.9

11.1

1368

71

Canon 5D

Canon 350D«»

APS-C

8.0

3456

2304

-

21.8

10.8

637

60

Canon 350D

Nikon D40X«»

APS-C

10.0

3872

2592

-

22.4

11.4

516

63

Nikon D40X

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The 5D Mark II indeed provides for movie recording, while the 400D does not. The highest resolution format that the 5D Mark II can use is 1080/30p.

Feature comparison: Canon 400D vs 5D Mark II

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The 400D and the 5D Mark II are similar in the sense that both have an optical viewfinder.
The latter is useful for getting a clear image for framing even in brightly lit environments. The viewfinder in the 5D Mark II offers a wider field of view (98%) than the one in the
400D (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition,
the viewfinder of the 5D Mark II has a higher magnification (0.71x vs 0.49x),
so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Canon 400D, the Canon 5D Mark II, and comparable cameras.

Core Features

Camera Model

Viewfinder (Type or '000 dots)

Control Panel (yes/no)

LCD Size (inch)

LCD Resolution ('000 dots)

LCD Attach- ment

Touch Screen (yes/no)

Mech Shutter Speed

Shutter Flaps (1/sec)

Built-in Flash (yes/no)

Built-in Image Stab

Camera Model

Canon 400D»

optical

n

2.5

230

fixed

n

1/4000s

3.0

Y

n

Canon 400D

Canon 5D Mark II«

optical

Y

3.0

920

fixed

n

1/8000s

3.9

n

n

Canon 5D Mark II

Canon 5D Mark IV«»

optical

Y

3.2

1620

fixed

Y

1/8000s

7.0

n

n

Canon 5D Mark IV

Canon 5DS«»

optical

Y

3.2

1040

fixed

n

1/8000s

5.0

n

n

Canon 5DS

Canon 5DS R«»

optical

Y

3.2

1040

fixed

n

1/8000s

5.0

n

n

Canon 5DS R

Canon 750D«»

optical

n

3.0

1040

swivel

Y

1/4000s

5.0

Y

n

Canon 750D

Canon 760D«»

optical

Y

3.0

1040

swivel

Y

1/4000s

5.0

Y

n

Canon 760D

Canon 5D Mark III«»

optical

Y

3.2

1040

fixed

n

1/8000s

6.0

n

n

Canon 5D Mark III

Canon 650D«»

optical

n

3.0

1040

swivel

Y

1/4000s

5.0

Y

n

Canon 650D

Canon 1100D«»

optical

n

2.7

230

fixed

n

1/4000s

3.0

Y

n

Canon 1100D

Canon 550D«»

optical

n

3.0

1040

fixed

n

1/4000s

3.7

Y

n

Canon 550D

Canon 500D«»

optical

n

3.0

920

fixed

n

1/4000s

3.4

Y

n

Canon 500D

Canon 450D«»

optical

n

3.0

230

fixed

n

1/4000s

3.5

Y

n

Canon 450D

Canon 40D«»

optical

Y

3.0

230

fixed

n

1/8000s

6.5

Y

n

Canon 40D

Canon 5D«»

optical

Y

2.5

230

fixed

n

1/8000s

3.0

n

n

Canon 5D

Canon 350D«»

optical

n

1.8

115

fixed

n

1/4000s

3.0

Y

n

Canon 350D

Nikon D40X«»

optical

n

2.5

230

fixed

n

1/4000s

3.0

Y

n

Nikon D40X

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The 400D has one, while the 5D Mark II does not.
While the built-in flash of the 400D is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the 400D and the 5D Mark II write their files to Compact Flash cards.

Connectivity comparison: Canon 400D vs 5D Mark II

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS 400D and Canon EOS 5D Mark II and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

Camera Model

Hotshoe Port

Internal Microphone

Internal Speaker

Microphone Port

Headphone Port

HDMI Port

USB Type

WiFi Support

NFC Support

Bluetooth Support

Camera Model

Canon 400D»

Y

-

-

-

-

-

2.0

-

-

-

Canon 400D

Canon 5D Mark II«

Y

mono

mono

Y

-

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Canon 5D Mark II

Canon 5D Mark IV«»

Y

mono

mono

Y

Y

mini

3.0

Y

Y

-

Canon 5D Mark IV

Canon 5DS«»

Y

mono

mono

Y

-

mini

3.0

-

-

-

Canon 5DS

Canon 5DS R«»

Y

mono

mono

Y

-

mini

3.0

-

-

-

Canon 5DS R

Canon 750D«»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

-

mini

2.0

Y

Y

-

Canon 750D

Canon 760D«»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

-

mini

2.0

Y

Y

-

Canon 760D

Canon 5D Mark III«»

Y

mono

mono

Y

Y

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Canon 5D Mark III

Canon 650D«»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

-

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Canon 650D

Canon 1100D«»

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Canon 1100D

Canon 550D«»

Y

stereo

-

Y

-

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Canon 550D

Canon 500D«»

Y

mono

mono

-

-

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Canon 500D

Canon 450D«»

Y

-

-

-

-

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Canon 450D

Canon 40D«»

Y

-

-

-

-

-

2.0

-

-

-

Canon 40D

Canon 5D«»

Y

-

-

-

-

-

2.0

-

-

-

Canon 5D

Canon 350D«»

Y

-

-

-

-

-

2.0

-

-

-

Canon 350D

Nikon D40X«»

Y

-

-

-

-

-

2.0

-

-

-

Nikon D40X

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Canon 5D Mark II (unlike the 400D) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights
can be controlled by the camera.

Both the 400D and the 5D Mark II have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used
on eBay. The 400D was replaced by the Canon 450D, while the 5D Mark II was followed by the Canon 5D Mark III. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Canon website.

Review summary: Canon 400D vs 5D Mark II

So what is the bottom line? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon 400D and the Canon 5D Mark II? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS 400D:

More compact: Is smaller (127x84mm vs 152x114mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.

Less heavy: Is lighter (by 294g or 35 percent) and hence easier to carry around.

Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.

More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (77 percent cheaper at launch).

More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in August 2006).

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS 5D Mark II:

More detail: Has more megapixels (21 vs 10.1MP), which boosts linear resolution by 44%.

Longer lasting: Gets more shots (850 versus 370) out of a single battery charge.

Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.

Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.

More modern: Reflects 2 years of technical progress since the 400D launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the 5D Mark II is the clear winner of the contest (18 : 5 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges
from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports shooter. Hence, the decision which camera
is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

400D 05:18 5D Mark II

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon 400D and the Canon 5D Mark II place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest
Best DSLR Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the 400D or the 5D Mark II perform in practice. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews: Canon 400D vs 5D Mark II

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (cameralabs, dpreview, ephotozine, imaging-resource, and photographyblog). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge,
reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make your choice using the following search menu. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.